Changing times

I had hoped that fuel cells would become a more viable option. The down side is hydrogen storage. I have read of some storage techniques for storing hydrogen on a disc that can be easily changed and the depleted one can be refilled. However, what was not mentioned is how much hydrogen could be stored. Cryogenic storage or high-pressure storage is not practical as driving a rolling Dewar flask is probably unsafe (what happens in a crash when the Dewar flask is punctured or otherwise compromised) or the weight of a very high pressure tank that also has risks if a crash happens). Also, the hydrogen would be generated by natural gas reforming or electrolysis. The one is still using fossil fuels and the second takes energy that has to be generated, again using fossil fuels.

Originally posted by StephenH Until I can recharge in the same time it takes to refill, an EV will not be practical for when we are towing and traveling out to see our daughters. It takes 5 days to get there already since my wife does not drive and I do all the driving. Adding charging time onto that would mean another day or two to get there. Also one thing not mentioned is that most charging stations are set up for nose-in charging. Unhitching to charge and then re-hitching to continue the trip is not a viable option.

I think "not practical" is the incorrect term. What you are saying is "unless I can add range as fast as I can with gasoline then I don't want an EV". That's ok as a personal choice but it doesnt make EVs impractical if it takes a little longer. It's not going to add another day or two to a 5 day trip.

Gas pumps run at about 8 gallons per minute so with a 15 mpg rig with a 20 gallon tank you can add range at the rate or about 240 miles in 2 minutes or about 120 miles a minute while keeping a 20% (60 mile) reserve. Those were about the numbers I got towing my 179 with my Highlander at 60 mph.

That will never happen in an EV, but you can get close enough I think.

A gallon of gasoline contains 33.7 kwh of energy. A good modern ICE is about 30% efficient fuel to wheels (just the way heat engines-all heat engines- are) so 1 gallon of gas can deliver 10kwh of energy and 15 mpg is the equivalent of 670 watt hours per mile, assuming no increase in rig efficiency with an EV, which is probably wrong but it's conservative.

The new crop of EVs with 800V battery architecture and 200kwh batteries can charge at around 250kw for about 60% of battery capacity (to 80% while leaving the same 20%/60 mile reserve) above which they taper the charge rate. With a 200kwh battery (equivalent to a 20 gallon fuel tank at 10 kwh per gallon) you can get a 120kwh recharge in just under 30 minutes. 120kwh divided by 670 wh per mile is 180 miles of range towing, or about 6 miles a minute compared to 120 miles per minute with gas. Not even close? Well maybe it is.

Look at it as 180 miles in 30 minutes. Good enough? For me yes. I would start out fully charged with 200kwh, drive 4 hours or 240 miles (I like to start early), just like in a gasser. Then I would stop and recharge for 30 minutes while making and eating breakfast and taking a break Then I would drive another 3 hours or 180 miles, and recharge for another 30 minutes while making and eating lunch and taking another break. Then another 3 hours/180 miles, total 600 miles. I'm done for the day, just as I would be driving a gasser. Stop and recharge overnight at a campground with 50A receptacles.

I am normally in much less if a hurry so I would just do the one breakfast fuel stop and go 420 miles, stop at lunch for the day, get a campsite, also just as I do with the gasser. Easy peasey.

I agree on the pull through chargers, there are only a few now but that will change, it's not a technical hurdle. Those have been solved.

And when I consider that I go on long trips no more than 10% at most of the miles I drive my vehicle I'm waaay ahead with an EV I can charge at home with no time spent going to a fuel station ever, and refueling costs about 1/3 of gasoline. Not to mention all the other ev benefits like very low maintenance, high performance, better stability, ability to maintain power to your house in an emergency, low or no (with residential solar) greenhouse gas emissions, etc.

BTW if I want to go to visit west coast friends and relatives in a hurry I'll fly my airplane. I'll get there in an easy 2 days at about 200 mph with 3 or 4 refuelings burning about 120 gallons (roughly equivalent to about 25 mpg driving). Now that's fun traveling, and no airport lines, sardine can seating, and hassles.

There will always be afficionados of outdated technologies, that's fine. Heck, my wife has a horse, but she sure doesn't use it for commuting.

A Tesla S Plaid can run the quarters in 9 sec. There is only one "production" car faster, the Rimac Nevera, maybe. So EVs can most definitely be fun.

I for one will not miss pistons, valves, camshafts, crankshafts, oil pumps, carburetors, ignition systems, etc. It's amazing that all those mechanical parts work together at all.

I'm overhauling a Continental O200 aircraft engine right now, what a mess. I look forward to never having to worry about all that stuff ever again. Unfortunately I doubt I'll live long enough to see adequate batteries for aviation use, so I'm stuck with babysitting a 1950's era ICE out on the nose.

                                   "Thirty Foot Trailer"